کد مقاله کد نشریه سال انتشار مقاله انگلیسی نسخه تمام متن
2043429 1073361 2010 5 صفحه PDF دانلود رایگان
عنوان انگلیسی مقاله ISI
The Role of the Magnetite-Based Receptors in the Beak in Pigeon Homing
موضوعات مرتبط
علوم زیستی و بیوفناوری علوم کشاورزی و بیولوژیک علوم کشاورزی و بیولوژیک (عمومی)
پیش نمایش صفحه اول مقاله
The Role of the Magnetite-Based Receptors in the Beak in Pigeon Homing
چکیده انگلیسی

SummaryMagnetite-containing structures in the upper beak of birds have been described as putative magnetoreceptors [1, 2, 3 and 4], but so far, all positive evidence indicating their influence on behavior has come from laboratory studies using rather unnatural stimuli (e.g., [5, 6 and 7]). Here, we demonstrate these receptors' possible role in a natural situation: we released pigeons with these receptors deactivated by a local anesthetic within and outside a magnetic anomaly, together with untreated control birds. Within the anomaly, the untreated birds showed unusually long vanishing intervals and scattered bearings, indicating confusion by the anomalous magnetic conditions. Anesthesia of the beak suppressed this adverse effect. Outside the anomaly, in contrast, the treatment had little effect. These findings indicate that the receptors in the beak mediate magnetic “map” information and that this information is normally included in the navigational process yet can be replaced by nonmagnetic factors at most sites.


► Within a magnetic anomaly, birds show long vanishing intervals and scattered bearings
► Anesthesia of magnetite-containing receptors in beaks suppresses the adverse effect
► The receptors in the beak mediate magnetic “map” information for navigation
► Other information can replace the (normally used) magnetic information at most sites

ناشر
Database: Elsevier - ScienceDirect (ساینس دایرکت)
Journal: - Volume 20, Issue 17, 14 September 2010, Pages 1534–1538
نویسندگان
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